Rukka Kalix Gore-Tex Textile Jacket - Black

Bought this as a replacement for my Dainese Gore text that had seen better days. After a few returned wrong sizes I eventually found the perfect fit. The bonus for me was having a choice of leg length. For my waist size leg length was always a problem but with Rukka Kalix the for is perfect. Quality suit also.

Let me preface this, I ride all year round and cover roughly 1200 miles a month. Prior to buying the Rukka Kalix I had a set of Alpinestars Waterproof Textiles (Gunner Jacket and Andes Trousers), total cost was under £400 for the entire set and the ensemble performed admirably. Having been converted to proper winter textiles I decided to upgrade and through various colleagues and friends, Rukka seemed to be a highly reputable brand. I decided on the Kalix. I don't need all the bells and whistles and my main requirements were Goretex Pro Laminate, able to be zipped to trousers, waterproof pockets and thermal liner which the Kalix has all of at the cheapest price. I had seen the Flexius that SBS had for sale which also ticked the box but was using the older Goretex liner technology so opted to pay a bit more for th Kalix. Size wise the jacket seems to be pretty consistent with normal clothing sizes. I wear a Medium in normal clothing and the Rukka Kalix Medium was perfect on my, not too small and not too big (for reference I wear a size Large in Alpinestars and Furygan Jackets, both textile and Leather). Theres enough space for an extra layer (I can wear a Oxford Chillout Wind shirt underneath comfortably) and can also wear just a t shirt without it swamping me, thermal liner in though. The cuffs are very generously sized which I love because it means its so much easier to get glove gauntlets underneath. I will always choose to run the sleeve over the gauntlet if possible to reduce chances of water coming in through the gauntlet. The Goretex works admirably and I have ridden in torrential rain multiple times for more than an hour at a time with no issues at all. The negatives for me are the collar, it is Neoprene and gets soaked through pretty easily, the size of the collar is also quite big and opens up the jacket to the elements a bit more. I certainly think it lets a bit of wind / draft in down the back of the neck and down through to your back due to the design, but the waterproofing side is OK. Apart from the neoprene collar soaking through, nothing else inside the jacket has become wet so far. Personally I don't think it is as warm as my Alpinestars Jacket but when combined with the Oxford Chillout windshirt I would be comfortable riding into the coldest temperatures I'm comfortable riding in. If I were wearing just the Kalix, I'd say its bearable upto about 5 degrees Centigrade, any colder then you'll want additional layers if you have a long journey or commute (hour and above). The back protector is also odd, I have brought the appropriate Rukka D30 back protector for the Kalix (medium protector for medium jacket). I'm not totally sure of the fit, it seems like the jacket pocket isnt quite big enough for the back protector, the back protector doesn't sit in the jacket flat but slightly curved, but coincidentally, the same curve as the human spine? Looking at the diagram on the instructions, its certainly covering where it should be. I will have to compare with a friends Rukka Jacket to see if theirs is the same. All the other back protectors I have used (Furygan D30, Alpinestars Level 2, Forcefield Level 2) all sit flat in the jackets they're in. All in all it's a good jacket and I am happy with it, do I think it is worth 3.5 times what I paid for the Alpinestars Jacket? Undecided right now, you are certainly paying a premium for the brand name as well as the functionality but it is a very well made jacket and the 6 year warranty is confidence inspiring. I've also got some Rukka Armaxion Textile trousers (on sale from SBS and are a more technical / higher spec line than the corresponding Kalix Trousers but cheaper with the sale price) and together they make a great combo that I will be comfortable riding throughout any elements on and to go touring on..

Very pleased with purchase. Feels like quality. Have since purchased back protector. You'll need quality thermal and mid layer for really cold weather.

This suit is worth every penny, lots of different size choices, looks and feels a million pounds.